Areas of Expertise

Education

Ph.D., Cornell University, Food Science, 2006

M.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Food Science, 1991

B.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Food Science, 1985

Research Interests:

My program focuses on providing technical support and delivering outreach programs to improve the safety and quality of value-added dairy products. I direct and teach in the following short courses focused on food and dairy foods manufacture:

Dairy Basics: Fundamentals of Food Safety

Dairy HACCP Workshop

Fundamental of Food Science

Pasteurizer Operator's Workshop

The Science and Art of Cheese Making

and assist with other departmental short courses on food and dairy foods manufacture:

Ice Cream Short Course

Ice Cream 101

Penn State Cultured Products Short Course

Food Safety and Sanitation for Food Manufacturers Short Course

My research focuses on the functional and nutritional aspects of milk fat, with an emphasis on milk fat fractionation.

I am an international cheese and dairy product judge, and coach of the Penn State Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Team. I am the faculty adviser to the Penn State Cheese Club.

Research Interests

Primary research and outreach interests are dairy chemistry and processing. Technical support and access to the pilot plants to increase the partnership between the food industry and the Department of Food Science.